Washington Looking to Hold off the Capital

While most teams lament a loss, the Washington Capitals felt no need to let their first loss (in regulation) of the season interrupt their Halloween festivities. Some online NHL betting fans may criticize the team for brushing the loss off so easily, but with three days to rest before their next game, who can blame the Capitals for getting in the spirit of the holidays. Either way, Washington will still have to prepare to face the 5-1 Edmonton Oilers. There’s no arguing the fact that the Capitals had the better season last year, but what kind of odds are most hockey betting sites giving these two this time around?

NHL Futures – Odds to Win Stanley Cup

Washington Capitals +830 Edmonton Oilers +3550

The difference between what the oddsmakers think about these two teams is staggering. The Capitals are coming in with the best odds of the NHL – even better than that of the reigning Stanley Cup Champions, while the Oilers’ odds peg them in the bottom half of the league. Online NHL betting odds aside, both teams have been playing great hockey. The only thing is, the Capitals have been facing much stronger opposition.

Washington started the season on a low note by failing to beat the reigning Stanley Cup Champions in Pittsburgh. It was the night that the Penguins were raising their championship banner. The Capitals came close to ruining their celebrations, but the night proved to be too remarkable, and Washington lost in a shootout. The Capitals quickly rebounded and won three straight against the New York Islanders, the Colorado Avalanche, and the Florida Panthers, before losing to the New York Rangers this past weekend. The Rangers aren’t half bad, but then again, neither are the Oilers.

Unlike Washington, Edmonton will be coming into this contest with a fair amount of momentum. The Oilers came out of the gate hot by winning back to back games against the Calgary Flames. However, the following weekend, the Buffalo Sabres handed the Oilers their first loss of the season. The Sabres aren’t that great of a team, and seeing Edmonton lose so defiantly against them raises questions about this team’s talents, as well as its resilience. Even so, Edmonton found a way to win their next two games against the Carolina Hurricanes and the St. Louis Blues. The Blues are one of the better teams in the NHL. So it just goes to show you; once you begin to question, or underestimate, a team like the Oilers, they turn right around and surprise you.

The online NHL betting odds paint a pretty clear picture about these two teams. But so far, the Oilers have a better record and they’ll be coming in with a whole lot more encouragement than the Capitals. The Capitals have more talent, and their commitment to Halloween shows they believe their talent is more than enough to win against Edmonton.